The use of pipe joint glands in the connection of pipe sections is well known in the art and there are probably dozens of variations of such glands. Generally such glands fit about the spigot end of a pipe section and receive a plurality of bolts therethrough which connect the gland to a bell end of a pipe section. A sealing gasket may be compressed between the gland and the bell end about the spigot end. Oftentimes such glands have been made from cast ductile iron and such material has proven to be satisfactory. Nonetheless, certain problems do exist. Particularly, the bolt in the glands are spaced outwardly from the pipe wall, thus as the bolts are tightened to compress the gasket and seal the gland, the periphery of the gland tends to deform. Premature deformation of the gland can occur such that the gasket is not adequately compressed and the seal is not adequately formed. Some prior art devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,188, have used ribbing on the surface of the gland to strengthen the gland and impart a degree of rigidity thereto. However, no satisfactory design of the reinforcing members has heretofore been known to me that would resist the bending stresses about the bolt holes both radially within the gland and intermediate the bolt holes.